The Journey
by Devine Justice
Summary: Sometimes it takes time apart to see what we really want. This is the story of the journey Eric and Sookie take to find there way back to each other. Post Season 4


**A/N: Hello my lovelies! This idea jumped into my head and wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote it, hope you like it. For those of you reading my other stories updates are on the way and soon!**

**I own nothing; I just like playing with the toys of others.**

Since I had rejected both Bill and Eric I had decided to turn my life around completely. I vowed that never again would I be that insecure girl I had been. The most important thing was figuring out who I was what I wanted and how I was going to make those things happen.

During the first month I spent a lot of time focusing on how I wanted my life to go, what I truly felt for the two vampires in my life, did I want to be a waitress or try to be something more. I needed to reconnect with the people in my life who had fallen by the wayside due to all the madness that had been my life.

After considering everything that had transpired between the two vampires in my life I managed to sort out what my feelings for both of them and I now understood that my love for Bill was the friendly type and that the love I felt for Eric was the real deal. Even knowing the truth of my feelings I need time to figure out what I wanted for myself and my future. I spent that a lot of time reestablishing my relationship with Jason and my friendships with Lafayette, Sam and Jessica and I could now count Holly on my short list of important people in my life as well.

during the second month Eric had approached me twice asking for another chance but I told him I needed time to get myself in a better place and that while my feelings hadn't changed for him I wasn't ready to be in a relationship. Needless to say he did not take that news well by any stretch of the imagination. He told me to just forget it, to forget him and that he was done waiting for me, he said he'd been a fool long enough. It hurt me something awful the hear him say that but I stood firmly in my decision.

After the fiasco with Eric I approached Bill and told him we needed to talk, I wanted to make it clear to him where our relationship stood. I told him everything that I loved him but only as a friend, that too much had happened for us to ever go back to being in a romantic relationship. I told him that I would always be his friend and that I hoped he could accept my friendship since it was all I could offer him.

He looked broken and defeated but said he would rather have me as his friend than to not have me in his life at all. Of course he wanted to know what I planned to do about Eric so I told him I was in love with him and that one day I hoped to be able to offer him my whole heart. I told him all about the disaster our last encountered had been and how it hurt me but that I couldn't fault him for wanting to move on.

Eric worked so hard for so long to get his shot with me, to prove that he could love me, care for me and when he finally had it he wasn't himself. Then once he was restored to his full self I shut him out, I hadn't even allowed him or myself the opportunity to see if we could work as a couple. I was scared, scared of what it meant to be with the real Eric, scared that I wouldn't be enough and I just couldn't bear another broken heart.

When I finished pouring out my heart about my problems with Eric shockingly Bill tried his best to console me and offered words of encouragement that if it were meant to be that Eric and I would find our way back to each other. I could tell that he was not happy that I still hold a torch for Eric but he made it clear that he accepts my feelings and respects them. After that night there was no weird tension between us anymore and I consider him a close friend.

When the third month rolled around I had a clear idea of what I wanted for myself and my future. I decided I wanted more from life than waiting on drunks and busybodies every night at Merlotte's so I quit. Sam was really bummed out that I wouldn't be around anymore and I heard him thinking that now he might be able to have a shot with me since I dumped the vamps.

I made it clear to him that I didn't feel that way towards him and that he and I were never going to happen that my heart already belonged to another and that I hoped that we would always be close friends. I could see the sadness in his eyes but he nodded and told me of course we'd always be friends and not to be stranger.

Since my telepathy was nothing close to being a secret anymore I figured I may as well use the gift I'd been given to make a living for myself. I made a list of the things I would be willing to do and the stipulations for my services as well as the rates I planned to charge. I based them off of what Eric had paid me to use my telepathy in Dallas and with that I made an appointment to see his Majesty Bill Compton.

Two nights later I negotiated a contract with the Monarchy of Louisiana for my services, Bill found all my stipulations acceptable as well as the rates I planned to charge him and he threw in royal protection to keep me safe since I remained unattached to any vampire. We worked out a schedule where I read for him every Tuesday night since that was the night he held court that way I would be on hand to assist him in any dealings with humans.

I arrived home late one night after attending court with Bill to find Pam waiting for me on my porch; she looked like hell I had never seen a vampire look so worn out. I invited her inside heated her a blood and asked her what was going on. She told me that Eric was in bad shape, she was worried for him explaining that she had never seen him so unhinged and that he had been that way since the last time he spoke with me.

She told me that he truly did love me and that my rejection she was sure was the cause of his current state of mind. Just like I had done with Bill I told Pam everything, how I felt about Eric and exactly what had occurred between us that night. I can't tell you how surprised I was that Pam understood where I was coming from, she too offered me her own brand of support but made it clear that she was in Eric's corner all the way.

She encouraged me to go see him, talk to him and try to help him understand that I wasn't rejecting him outright but that I just need to order my life before I could share it with another. I told her I would come to visit him the next night since I had been meaning to do so anyway.

However when I arrived at Fangtasia he glared daggers at me from the moment I walked in. I approached him and asked to speak with him privately his reaction was not what I was expecting at all. He coldly told me that he was busy entertaining his fans and that if I wished to speak with him I could wait til closing.

I nodded to him and told him I'd wait, once the place closed and we were alone in his office he immediately brought up that he expected for me to start reading his patrons as per our agreement and that he wanted me here on Saturday nights every week to keep my end of the deal. Ok well we can talk about that in a minute I came here to speak to you about us. His expression turned hard and his eyes were burning with cold fire and soon as I opened my mouth to speak him he totally shut me down.

He said if it wasn't business related he wasn't interested in hearing it. So I gave him just what he asked for I only spoke to him about business related issues. He still expected me to hold to the agreement I made with him before Dallas to read for him when he needed but since I had a contract with Bill I decided I would get one from Eric as well and negotiate myself the same deal as the one I had with the monarchy.

He was furious that I brought it up; he told me that it was obvious that my word was worthless and that he shouldn't have been surprised. His words cut me to the bone but I refused to show it I told him that's the way it would be or I wouldn't help him at all. I was done being pushed around and forced to do things I didn't want to and if this was the way he wanted to play it well then that's how it would be. Since I had garnered myself royal protection there wasn't a damn thing he could do about especially since it was originally a verbal contract and he had no legal ground to stand on.

I thanked him for his time and informed him that I would courier his contract to him by the end of the week, with that I bid him goodnight and walked out. I knew he was acting this way because I had hurt him but I wasn't going to excuse him for it, those days were over.

I held back my tears until I was home but as soon as I closed the door I fell apart. I cried until there were no tears left in me and all that was left were chocking anguished sobs. I still loved Eric with my whole heart and I had hoped that he'd understand my need to put my life together but he made it very clear to me that he didn't care at all.

He cemented that fact for me when he returned my contract signed but added a stipulation that I would liaison with Pam and she would relay to him any pertinent information. He wanted nothing to do with me even if it pertained to our agreement; I had to accept the fact that I had done this. It was my choice to exclude him from my life and he had taken it to heart. It did not change the fact that I was still head over heels for him, nor did it stop me from missing him.

I spent the rest of the week mourning my loss and steeling myself for my first Saturday night reading for him. I arrived at his bar just before opening and meet Pam at the door, she ushered me to a booth in the back and told one of their servers that she was to bring me whatever I asked for. She whispered into my ear that she was sorry that things had not gone well between Eric and I, she was about to say something else when Eric bellowed at her to return to her duties.

_It's ok Pam I get it_ I told her. She wasn't responsible for the any of the mess that was going on between Eric and me. I told her I still considered her a friend and that she was welcome to come and see whenever she wanted with that she nodded and vamped back to the door.

Once the club opened I started scanning through the crowds looking for minors, troublemakers, FotS spies and cops planning raids and especially drainers. I sent messages on napkins to Pam via my waitress and she would deal with any problems I found. Things were going really well, I was enjoying relaxing in my private booth using my talent to help Eric and making a very nice paycheck, that is until Eric made his way to his throne.

Women flocked over to him in droves as soon as he was seated and he allowed several of them to fawn over him. He was flirting like crazy and touching them and to my utter disbelief he was allowing them to touch him. I was livid; never in the two years I had been coming here had I ever seen him let any of the fangbanger's touch him, was he doing this with the express purpose of hurting me.

He was waiting for me to react, to throw a jealous fit or storm off. Well he could wait until the sun fell from the sky I had no intention of giving him the satisfaction of knowing how angry, hurt and jealous I was.

I figured that if he didn't get what he was after he'd knock it off the following weekend but I was sadly mistaken. For the rest of that month I watched a constant parade of desperate women hang all over Eric and he made a huge show of lavishing his attention on them. He took no less than five women to his office for a private audience and god knows what was going on back there.

It was killing me to sit there every weekend watching all those women enjoying him but I remained impassive towards all of it. In fact I felt sad for Eric and even more so for those women. I wasn't sure anymore if the purpose was to hurt me or to try and cover the hurt I had caused him, either way it was a lose/lose situation.

I started meeting Bill for dinner once a week to socialize as well as go over upcoming events and issues that would need to be dealt with. Bill turned out to be an excellent friend, he listened to me while I lamented everything I was dealing with with Eric and he was always ready with words of support and comfort. I returned the favor and listened to him while he told me all about is new love interest and offered him the advice that he asked for concerning the courting of modern human women.

Pam stopped by at least one night a week and we talked shop and she tried to convince me that Eric was not over me and she even went so far as to tell me that he only did such things when I was there. She said there had been several unfortunate incidents involving those blood bags when they attempted to engage him when I wasn't there to see it. I just shook my head at that and told her that I hoped he found whatever he was looking for and that I had no intention of trying to speak to him about us again.

She of course inquired about the time I was spending with Bill; she wanted to know if he and I were together again. I had a strong feeling Eric put her up to it but I told her the truth saying we were only good friends. She confessed that Eric was irate when word reached him of how close Bill and I were, so much so that they had to close the bar for five days to repair the damage he'd done.

It really made me sad to know that Eric obviously still felt strongly for me but that he was unwilling to meet me half way. I told Pam I had extended the olive branch to him and he threw it in my face so if he wanted to attempt to be a part of my life he was going to be the one to extend the branch this time.

In the fourth month Bill called to tell me that he had received requests from other areas in Louisiana as well as other states for my services and wanted to know if that was something I would be interested in. He told me that he would personally provide me with a security detail and that my contract with the state overrode my contract with Eric so there would be no issues.

I pounced on the opportunity; I would be able to escape watching Eric and his whores for a few weeks as well as meet new people and see new places. Bill and I went through all of the emailed requests and I choose the ones I wanted to do and set rigorous schedule for the rest of the month.

I would be gone for four weeks and I couldn't be happier. I spent a week reading for the other sheriffs in Louisiana it was really easy and I met a lot of new vampires who all made me feel welcome and treated me with utmost respect. My gift was valuable to them and they were very pleased that I was using it to help them.

I mostly read pets to see if they were loyal, employees to see if there was any funny business going on and even helped at a tribunal which was crazy and scary but I did feel really good when I help save six lives that night. I had a book full of contacts, many offers to relocate all expenses paid which I declined and in the end I had the promise of several new contracts for my services.

Having completed my entire obligation for the Louisiana vampires I headed to Texas for three weeks to meet with their King and read for all nine of Texas's Sherriff's. My first night there I was meet at the airport by a vampire named Azrael who informed me that he was to be my liaison and bodyguard for the duration of my stay in addition to the detail I had been assigned by Bill.

He was a stunning sight to behold at six foot five a solid muscular build with long blond hair braided intricately that fell to the middle of his back and piercing green blue eyes. He reminded me a lot of Eric. He noticed my appraisal of him and smiled at me appreciatively, I quickly looked away before I embarrassed myself further.

The next three weeks passed in a blur, I read thousands of humans for the vampires of Texas and found so many people who meant to do them harm. It really made me angry that there were people out there willing to do almost anything to destroy the vampires just because they were different. I bet if they knew what else was out there they would really flip out.

Azrael and I became fast friends spending all of our free time together, he was very charming and kept me laughing as long as there was no one to see him behave as such. He was every bit the stereo typical vampire, stoic and thought that humans were his lesser but even though he acted like that in the company of his kind I knew him outside of his culture and he was a wonderful person.

Spending time with him made me miss Eric terribly, I felt bad for enjoying his company so much. Then I reminded myself that Eric no longer had any desire for my company, that he'd gone out of his way to hurt me with his hoard of sluts. I told myself there was nothing wrong with me making friends and that I deserved to enjoy the company of anyone I wanted to.

I meet the King of Texas and he was nothing at all like what I had pictured; Stan Davis looked like he should be working at the geek squad counter at Best Buy. He walked in to our meeting wearing a pair of kakis, a white button up and a pair of thick rimmed black glasses and I was barely able to stifle the giggle that was threatening to escape me.

Azrael shot me a look that killed the giggle immediately and I bowed demurely to his Majesty and introduced myself. As it turns out Stan wasn't big on formality insisting I call him by his first name and had about a thousand questions for me. I answered everything he asked before we moved onto the staff interviews for the humans that worked in his compound.

Once I had sorted through all the humans and agreed that I would be willing to contract my services to his state on a recurring basis he insisted that Azrael show me the sights Dallas had to offer since this would be my last night in the kingdom. I was so excited and Azrael found all my reactions greatly amusing, he was an amazing tour guide and patiently answered all of my questions.

We were walking through the entertainment and clubbing district of Deep Ellum there were all sort of street artists and musician lining the sidewalks it was quite the experience. While we were stopped watching a man create amazing pictures with spray paint, razor blades and some cardboard cut outs we were approached by a hoard of FotS fanatics. They slung all sort of insults at me and tried their very best to provoke Azrael into attacking them, when that failed they set of a colloidal silver grenade sending shrapnel and silver particles in all directions.

Azrael slammed me into a brick wall and shield me with his body or I would have been killed, I was having some serious déjà vu this was so much like what happened the last time I was here. The damage inflicted upon Azrael as he protected me had incapacitated him and the zealots took advantage of his weakened state and injected him with liquid silver. Within seconds Bill guards surrounded us but the damage had already been done. What a shitty ending to a really good trip.

I was near hysterical as we were driven back to Stan's compound Azrael looked like he was very close to the true death and I was afraid for my friend. Once we arrived at the compound I refused to leave his side, he risked his existence for me and I meant to be there for him until he was alright again. I sat and watched as fifteen donors where brought in to feed him, I scanned their minds to make sure they were clean after remembering the incident with the disco triplets and there infected donor.

Sure enough six of them were tainted; four had Hep-D and the other two had Sino Aids. The remaining nine donors feed him but he didn't seem to be getting any better he still had burns all over him from the silver, he was a sickening color of grey and had a withered look about him.

I told the vampire who was taking care of him to call for Dr. Ludwig, Eric had told me she was the best Supe doctor there was. Realizing just as I had that Azrael was not improving he quickly pulled out his cell and dialed her. After the usual arguing that always seemed to come with her service to vampires she said she would arrive momentarily.

Within minutes there was a pop as Ludwig just appeared out of thin air. She shooed the other vampires out of her way and crawled up onto the bed to get a better look at her patient. She shook her head and told us that it was not good, the liquid silver that they had inject him with was a massive does and that it was killing him, she told us he had maybe until the sun rose before he'd perish.

I felt horrible; he was going to die because he had protected me. Azrael was the first real vampire friend I had other than Bill and it made me sad to think how many people I called friend ended up dying because of me. I asked her if she was sure there was nothing that could be done for him; she shook her head no and said the only thing that could repair that kind of damage was faery blood and that she wasn't in possession of any.

I wondered if the little bit of faery that ran in my veins would be enough, I had to try I owed it to him he was willing to die protecting me after all. I leaned close to Ludwig and asked her to have all the other vampires leave the room so we could speak privately which earned me a raised eyebrow and a scowl. She ordered everyone out and after a lot of grumbling and yelling they all did.

Once the room was clear she turned to me and asked what it was that I had to say. I told her that I was part faery and that I wanted to know if what I had in me would be enough to save him. She stared at me surprised before asking how much faery I was and whether or not I carried the spark. Well damn now I was surprised that she knew so much about faeries, I explained that I was an eighth faery and that I did carry the spark.

Well then you vampire is in luck your blood will be enough to reverse the damage caused by the silver. I quickly told her that he was not mine and that we were only friends but that I still wanted to help him. She explained that she would insert an IV into my vein and attach a tube to it and allow my blood to flow into his mouth.

She said it would take about a pint or so and that I would need to take an iron supplement and eat a hearty meal afterwards to replenish myself then asked if I still agreed to the procedure. I nodded yes and extended my arm to her.

She quickly inserted a needle into my vein and attached the tube and asked that I hold it over his mouth since he was no longer conscious, she would have to hold his jaw open while I turn the damn off so the blood would flow freely. I watched as my blood dripped into his mouth and after about a teaspoon was in him his eyes flew open. When I had gotten a cup of my blood into him his skin began to heal and he looked less withered. Just as we reached a pint and Ludwig told me to tighten the damn to stop the blood flow all the grey tone had faded and he was a nice rosy pink.

He sat up staring at me in wonder while licking his lips clearing enjoying my taste. He wanted to know why I had saved him. _It was the right thing to do, you would have died saving me and I couldn't let that happen knowing I could do something about it._ I told him. _What do you want from in return for such a favor? _Heasked and I was insulted that he thought I expected something in return.

Then I remembered that that as the way the Supe world worked no one did anything with expecting a return of some kind. _I don't want anything from you Azrael you are my friend and friends help each other out where they can_ I said matter of factly. He seemed shocked and whisper friend like it was foreign word he didn't understand.

_Yes friend, you are my friend aren't you_? I asked him and he smiled then a real true happy smile and nodded to me and said _yes I am your friend and you Sookie are the first person to call me friend in a very long time._ Ludwig chimed in then saying she'd be expecting her payment in full by the end of the week before she popped of back to where she came from.

I returned home the following morning as planned but I spoke with Azrael several times a week after that he had also taken to calling me sweet treat since he'd sampled my flavor. What we had was not romantic at all but we were very close friends we'd call each other just saying hello telling each other work stories and anything else that was on our minds. He had some pretty amazing stories about all kinds of things and considering he was 987 years old I was sure I could talk to him every night and never hear all of them.

While I enjoyed listening to his tales and sharing my life stories with him even though there weren't many it made me wish it was Eric that I could do this with. Seemed no matter what happiness I found in my life I always wished it was Eric I was sharing those experiences with. Azrael told me he thought Eric a fool for being so damn stubborn and that it was Eric who would be sorry when I tired of waiting for him.

The fifth month found me back to my usual schedule of attending court with Bill on Tuesday night, Pam, Bill and I would have dinner together on Thursday nights and I would read for Eric on Saturday nights. I had hoped that Eric would tire of his games in the weeks I was away but it seemed to not be the case.

My first night back working for him he seemed to be even more determined to flaunt his whores in front of me and even stared me right in the eye as he grabbed two girls and started towards his office with them. Seriously was he really challenging me to have a fit, I rolled my eyes at him and went back to reading the crowd.

Pam stopped by my booth shortly after and told me she had to run over to Bill's to check in a new arrival since Eric was busy she put that in finger quotes which made me laugh and that she would return within the hour. She said if anything big happened that I would have to go and tell Eric so he could deal with it. I thought this reeked of a setup but told her no problem.

I had just stepped onto the dance floor when I picked up a cell of drainers plotting to lure a vampire out back and drainer her of her blood. Just wonderful now I had the lovely task of going to interrupt Eric's little party so I could tell him about this mess. I pulled on my big girl panties and made my way back to his office I expected to hear moaning or something of the like but it was dead quiet.

I knocked loudly and he called for me to enter, I took a deep breath and opened the door ready for anything. He was sitting on his couch with one girl on either side of him but there wasn't anything untoward going on and that surprised me, was all the crap he was doing just an attempt to get a reaction from me. I couldn't imagine why he'd bother since I had made an attempt to work things out with him and HE shut me out.

He had a smug expectant look on his face, he just looked so damn confident that I would be embarrassed or throw a hissy fit but that was not going to happen. Since he was so hell bent on playing this game I took it as a challenge and threw my hat into the ring. I saccharinely greeted his dinner before I apologized for interrupting and asked if they could step out so that I could have a private word with Eric. I caught his look of surprise at my nonchalant attitude and I felt a wicked sense of pleasure having spoiled his plans to get a reaction from me.

He ordered them to wait outside which clearly they were not expecting so in a huff they stomped out of the room. He leered at me and asked if I planned to replace his dinner to which I rolled my eyes. I told him that I had no intention of doing any such thing and that I wouldn't take up much of his time so he could get back to his lovely dinner.

His expression briefly looked disappointed but that quickly morphed into his annoyed face before he asked what it was that I needed since I was supposed to take any issues to Pam. I explained that she had gone to check someone in and she'd told me to come to him with any issues until she returned. Then I told him about the cell of drainers and what they were planning. He got all fangy and I could tell he was mightily pissed though I wasn't sure if it was because of the drainers or my lack of reaction to his antics. He growled that he'd take care of it before he brusquely dismissed me to go back to my work.

I casually made my way back out to the main area and after scanning through all the patrons and found nothing else amiss I returned to the dance floor. I watched Eric quickly give the orders to have the drainers taken care of and I expected he would be returning to have his dinner but instead he glamoured them to leave before settling into his throne.

I was dancing to the pulsing music they were pumping out and I wondered why I had never tried to enjoy myself while I worked before. I was swaying and grinding along the sexy rhythm and I felt Eric's eyes following my every move and couldn't stop the impish grin as I thought to myself game on Eric, game on.

I was dancing to my fourth song when I saw Pam strut through the door and waved at her that impish grin still plastered on my face. She glanced up at Eric and upon seeing his pained hungry expression she laughed heartily before she winked and flashed me a wicked grin. She had been telling me for weeks that it would do Eric some good to get a taste of his own medicine and I had told her repeatedly that I would not be so cruel but tonight he'd just pushed me too far.

I was scanning minds and relishing in my hedonistic pleasure and was caught totally off guard when I was suddenly swept of my feet by a pair of strong arms wrapped around my waist. I was getting ready to lay a tongue lashing on whom ever had been so bold to handle me like that when I heard a deep familiar voice say _Hey there sweet treat!_ Azrael I squealed like a five year old on Christmas morning as I spun around and hugged him.

Eric was standing beside us in a flash and he looked absolutely murderous, He snarled at Azrael to take his hands off of me before he ended him. I turned to Eric and told him to calm down that I was fine and that Azrael was a friend of mine which clearly surprised him as well as pissed him off. Guess Pam wasn't sharing gall her info with him currently since Pam had been aware of Azrael since the first week I met him in Dallas.

He informed me that he wasn't paying me to socialize and that I needed to see my friends when I wasn't here. I leveled him with a glare and told him that I didn't even know that Azrael was in town and that since it was now 2am I was off duty. If looks could kill Azrael and I would have burnt to ash as Eric fixed us with a vicious glare not that he had any right considered the way he paraded women in front of me all the time. I asked Azrael if he drove or flew, he said he'd flown so I asked him to drive me home. he nodded and I turned to Eric and told him I'd see him next Saturday. I heard Eric growling as he watched us leave.

Pam was waiting for us at the car with a devilish grin on her face and informed me that Eric was about to go nuclear and that no doubt the bar would be needing repairs. I apologized making sure she knew that I had not planned this; I didn't want her to think I was trying to hurt Eric. I still loved him and held on to the hope that maybe one day he would stop being mad at me and we could work things out.

Pam told me she was well aware and that Bill had asked Azrael to come and meet him so he could thank him for his service to me in Dallas. She then told me it was her idea to have Azrael come and meet me here since I refused to give Eric a dose of reality she felt it was her duty as my friend and his child to light a fire under his ass to show him that there were other men out there that would love to have me and if he didn't get over himself he could lose me forever. She went on to say that he still loved me as much as he always has but his foolish pride would not allow him to admit he was wrong to shut me out and make amends. Right before I closed the door to my car she told me to not be surprised if I sensed him spying on us.

In the sixth month everything changed. Azrael spent three days visiting with me before he was required back at court in Texas, we caught up and hung out and I introduced him to all my non vampire friends, it was a good three days. I felt Eric outside every night watching the goings on from the cover of the woods and I am sure he was expecting to find me in some romantic tryst. It hurt me to know that he thought I could just move on from him so quickly.

Pam kept me informed on his moods and outbursts, the first night he was furious and destroyed the bar, his car, and one of his safe houses. The second night he was still angry but she said she could feel his sadness thinking I had found a new lover. She said he asked her if she thought that was what was going on. She'd told him we were only friends but he felt she was mistaken, he felt as thought I was replacing him since Azrael was very similar to Eric in many ways.

The third night Pam called to update me she said Eric was defeated; he hadn't left his house after he came to see what the two of us were up to and found us hanging out with all my friends. Told her that Azrael was giving me everything I had ever asked him to. He'd said he realized now that his deplorable behavior towards me and his stubbornness had cost him everything. My heart broke hearing her say that about my Eric and tears rolled down my cheeks.

Eric came to my woods and watched me every night after Azrael left but he never approached me. Pam called me every night asking if he was there saying that he had closed of his bond with her and she hadn't seen him at all, that he wouldn't answer her calls. Again my heart just broke in two, he was suffering, and he needed me, wanted me to be his and was avoiding me because he thought I had a new love.

I decided that the following night when he came that I was going to approach him and make things right this had gone on long enough. Eric was the only man I wanted in my life he is and always will be my only love and I was going to make him understand that come hell or high water.

I paced around my house from the moment the sunset the following night waiting to feel him arrive but hours passed and he didn't show up. Suddenly I felt a void standing outside and rushed across the room flung the door ready to tell Eric that he was who I wanted but it was Bill standing there and a flood of disappointment coursed through me.

Bill told me that he had just got off the phone with Eric and he'd told him that he was terminating my contract with him. Tears welled up in my eye and flowed like rivers down my face, he was well and truly giving up. I never thought Eric to be a quitter, he had always gone after what he wanted, why would he throw in the towel after all this time. I thanked Bill for telling me and after assuring him that I was fine he excused himself to tend to kingdom business.

I closed the door and dug my phone out of my purse I need to speak with Pam. When she picked up I demanded to know what the hell was going on, she told me that he wanted me to be happy and that if I'd found happiness with another he intended to bow out. She said she'd never seen him look so broken not even after Godric met the sun and that she was worried he was planning to do the same.

_Where is he Pam_ I demanded? She told me he was at his house, that he hadn't left his day chamber and that he ordered her to stay away. _Pam I need directions, I have to see him_ I said vehemently. After she gave me directions and the codes I would need to get in since he was refusing to see anyone I thanked her, told her not to worry that I would make things right.

Twenty minutes later I was pulling into his driveway, the house was dark but since Pam said he refused to come out of his dayroom I wasn't surprised. What did surprise me was that his house was just outside of Bon Temps last I knew he lived in the boondocks north of Shreveport.

I marched up to his door and knocked, my southern manners demanded that I give him the opportunity to answer before I barged in. After waiting what I considered to be a polite amount of time for him to answer I used the codes Pam had given me to enter his house. I followed her directions to where his dayroom was and marched down the stairs the motion active lights flicked on and the sight that met me nearly killed me.

Eric was in his bed lying on his side wearing only a pair of track pants, His eyes were closed and tracks of bloody tears streaked his face and chest and in his hand he was clutching one of my shirts that I'd been missing. He looked more pale then usual and drawn like he hadn't fed in awhile. He was clearly in downtime and he hadn't even noticed that I was there. I crawled into his bed lay down behind him and wrapped my arm around his chest as I curled my body around his before I softly called his name.

_Sookie_ he said bewildered like he wasn't sure this was real or his imagination and that made my heart seize painfully in my chest. I squeezed him tighter and placed a kiss on the back of his neck _Yes it's me_ I whispered to him. He rolled over and looked at me a pained expression on his face as fresh tears rolled down his cheeks _You came back to me._ He said hoarsely.

_Yes. _I answered immediately as I cradled his cheek in my hand trying to give him comfort, I wanted more than anything to take away his pain and see the life in his eyes once again. _Why? _He whispered apprehensively seemingly afraid on how I would answer. I looked into his sad eyes and smiled _Because I love you Eric_. As soon as he heard those words the sadness vanished from his eyes and kissed me breathless before releasing my lips and rested his forehead against mine _I love you Sookie. I thought I had lost you forever._

I caressed his back lovingly _You never lost me and you never will. There will never be anyone else for me, you are my forever Eric._ I whispered against his lips and I felt him smile at my admission. _My heart is yours Sookie it always has been. Everything that I am is yours; I want you to be my forever. I promise you won't be sorry._ He said fervently.

_I know. I am yours Eric. I've just been waiting for you to realize it. _I told him and that was the last talking we did that night. We made passionate love to each other reaffirming our claim to the other and healing the wounds we had both cause each other.

After that night we were never apart again, neither of us had ever been happier or more whole. One month later we decided to start our forever and we promised our love eternal to each other at our pledging ceremony with all our friends a family beside us, later that same night Eric became my maker and bonded mate.

-FIN-


End file.
